


Unbreakable

by thorkiship18



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Bars and Pubs, Bartender Thor, Dancer Loki (Marvel), Loki and Thor Are Not Related, M/M, Mute Thor, Muteness, Protective Thor (Marvel), Psychic Abilities, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Telekinesis, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:47:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23681059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thorkiship18/pseuds/thorkiship18
Summary: Behind all the bright lights and expensive things within the city, Thor Odinson tries his hardest to escape with Loki, a man he holds dear to his heart. However, with the ever looming threat of Loki's dark secret getting out, the two find it ever more challenging to finally be free.
Relationships: Loki/Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	Unbreakable

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I'm back on my Thorki bullshit after a long hiatus! This fic contains Mute Thor, which is a first for me lol. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> (Any mistakes are my own)

"3 _Monroes_ , please."

The three young women ordering don't seem very friendly in the slightest, but Thor can do absolutely nothing other than obey their wishes after they pay. He grabs the ingredients off the shelves behind him in a hurry, timing himself on the swiftness in which he can get his job done.

Bartending has been something of a sport in his lifetime, just a simple yet also treacherous game that can have major consequences if played the wrong way. Thor even gives himself points based on how fast he can fulfill their order. It's useful, this game--something to keep his mind at ease in this terrible place he calls a job.

Thor would rather be anywhere but here, that's for certain, but he knows, without a single doubt in his body, that no one would hire him besides businesses like these. The entertainment kind, the spectacles, the flashy "come take a long hard look at my oiled muscles" type of deals that he gets on a daily basis. It's tiring, honestly. Thor has no desire to show off his body to those kind of people. Perhaps being constantly harrassed is what he deserves for staying in such good shape. Such backwards thinking usually takes over the longer he works behind the counter. Thankfully, he's at the end of his shift.

After successfully completing their orders, Thor signals for the other bartender approaching to take over for him as he steps away. Discarding his apron behind the counter, Thor is immediately bombarded by drunk men and women on the dancefloor all begging for a dance. He's no bouncer, so simply shoving them to the side would surely cost him the only job he has. So, in order to keep the peace here, he gently wiggles out of their grasp to trek deeper within the club.

There's someone he'd like to see very much right now, someone so dear and important to him.

Though this particular club is massive, Thor knows his way around the area pretty well. He's only been working here for about 11 months now, surely he'd be well acquainted with this place. Bypassing more drunken partygoers, Thor finally makes it to the special "investors only" section of the multi-level club. He looks up at the main stage where scantily clad dancers strut and pull off a choreographed performance together, gyrating and executing dance moves that would make a priest clutch his rosary.

Up on that stage are six dancers, but Thor's eyes only focus on one.

A beautiful man with a slender body and raven black hair.

His name is Loki, and Thor's heart instantly melts when their eyes manage to lock during the dance number. Loki's face remains as expressive as ever as he dances with his partners, not once missing a step on the beat. Thor doesn't know this one, some disco remix to an already established song. Even so, watching Loki dance is a captivating experience. He's casting his spell on everyone here, rich and working class alike.

It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that one or three of Thanos's high paying "customers" will want a private dance with him before the night is over. Too bad.

The intrusive thought fills Thor's head with envy, one he's certain that Loki can hear if the sudden momentary shift in expression is anything to give by. Quickly, Thor stashes it away in the lockbox within his mind, and the song and dance that Loki and the other dancers perform comes to an end. As usual, the crowd clamors for them, but Loki more specifically. He's got quite the reputation here.

Outspoken, cunning, mischievous...but also _compassionate_ where it counts, though Loki will never outright admit that aloud.

Sometime after the dancers leave the stage, a live band begins their setup, giving Thor an opportunity to snag Loki before anyone else can. He gets through the high class men and women, making his way to the backstage dressing room where the dancers are. At the door, Thor is greeted by one of the dancers and a good friend to Loki, Darcy Lewis. She's as young as Loki, seemingly paying her way through college. Good on her.

However, she prevents him from entering.

"Hello, Thor," she says with a sweet smile. "Can't let you in, you know the rules."

Thor slumps his shoulders, rolling his eyes and gesturing to the door expectantly. Though he can't physically tell her what he wants, Darcy gets the gist.

"Dude, we're sweaty and exhausted--I'm sure you can wait a few minutes for him to get himself together, right?"

Dammit. Thor reluctantly concedes, sighing through his nose. It's been an entire day since he's seen Loki; their hours don't always link up with each other, but tonight is different. They'll get to leave together and spend most of tomorrow together as well like Thor planned...or so he hopes.

Sensing Thor's slight agitation, Darcy taps his shoulder playfully. "We were good tonight, weren't we?"

Thor nods in response.

"Yeah, took us a while to nail down the steps--rehearsal was a biiiiitch! Ugh, I'm staying off my feet for a while after tonight." She hums, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Okay. Yeah. I need to clean myself up. Give me a sec, I'll go see if Loki's done."

Darcy is gone before Thor can think to nod, quickly filing into the dressing room. It's so fast he can't even catch a glimpse of his greatest friend. His only friend.

He and Loki have known each other for exactly as long as Thor has been working here; Loki was in this establishment first, working as drink server. He was special--he _is_ special, and always will be. Loki knows things that others don't. He collects secrets from people's minds and uses it to his own advantage, which can sometimes be both a blessing and a curse. A mind reader.

Thor can't exactly describe how it is with him. It's a feeling, a _force_ that breaks through. A vibration. A sensation that resonates throughout his mind. It sounds like Loki, but doesn't _feel_ like Loki. It definitely is strange, and it caught him by surprise when it first happened. But now it's a part of his life. It's as natural as breathing, nothing odd about it anymore

After waiting outside of the dressing room for what feels like hours, the door finally opens, revealing Loki in all of his beauty. His slim figure is now covered by dark jeans with holes in them and a tattered green tank top. Over his shoulders rests a baggy jean jacket that has seen better days. Thor knows this, of course, because it used to belong to him until gifting it to Loki. Or, rather, Loki gifted it to _himself._ Regardless of the semantics, it looks better on him than it ever did on Thor, tiny holes and all.

Upon seeing Thor's face up close, Loki flashes him a subdued smile, tucking his hair behind his ears. "Hi, Thor."

Thor replies with a huge grin and a tiny wave. He opens the lockbox in his mind, allowing Loki access inside to hear his thoughts. _"Hello, Loki. You look amazing."_

"Just tonight? Not every night?"

_"I--I didn't mean--"_

"I know," laughs Loki, patting Thor on his wide chest. "It's called a joke."

Thor closes his eyes for a moment, embarrassed. He rubs the back of his head. _"Of course. Silly me."_

"Silly you, indeed. Are you finally ready to get out of here, or should we spontaneously work a double?"

_"Ugh. Please don't joke about that."_

The two exit through the back entrance, bumping into some of the men Thanos has employed here as muscle. Thor nor Loki miss the the brief shimmer of light coming from their hips--guns. _Club Infinity_ is as legitimate as Thanos makes it look from the outside, but the inner workings are a completely different story.

But it's none of their business. They almost have enough to escape this place. They're almost free.

Taking the subway home, Loki briefly naps, resting his head on Thor's shoulder. He's pretty exhausted from dancing all night and it shows. He's been working hard these past few weeks, taking on odd hours just to make enough to cover rent and food. It'd be easier if Loki had just moved in when Thor suggested, but of course the stubborn little thing has other plans...no matter that Loki has clothes laying in Thor's dressers anyways.

They're relationship is...complex, to say the least. That's all there is to it.

When they finally arrive at their apartment building, Thor sees Loki off across the hall, hugging him tightly before bidding him a good night's rest. It was pretty foolish to even think that Loki would want to crash at his apartment when he's been on his feet all night.

Soon, Thor unlocks the door to his place, kicking off his shoes as he steps in. He puts his keys in the pot next to the door, walking through the dark until he turns on the kitchen light. Opening the fridge, he finds exactly what's been in there for days: condiments, a few beers, some water, leftovers from god knows when, and some fruits and vegetables. He sighs, shutting the refrigerator. He'll need to do some shopping with Loki soon. Besides, he's not that hungry anyway.

After roaming around his empty apartment for a time, Thor takes a quick shower. That's when he hears three sharp knocks at the front door. He checks the time by looking at the clock on the wall. 2:45 in the morning. Whoever could that be at this hour? Drying his hair off a bit, he hurriedly shucks into some loose clothes before answering the door without looking through the peephole. Standing in front of him is Loki in black shorts and a green sweatshirt rolled up at the sleeves, no shoes or socks. In his hand is a bottle of uncorked wine, cheap. He smirks, leaning on the doorframe.

"I can't sleep," he confesses. "Drink with me?"

Thor is too ecstatic to say no, and he immediately allows Loki entry. They migrate to the balcony of Thor's apartment and watch the city below them, drinking straight from the bottle. They spend hours just _staring_ down at the people trying to get on with their lives, complaining about their respective childhoods and imagining their futures. They haven't got much but each other these days. Both orphans, no other family to behold them...save for Hela, but Thor hasn't seen her in so long, and the last time they made contact, she pretended as if he never existed.

All Thor has now is Loki, no one else.

They sit together as the sky shifts in color; the sun will rise soon, but it's not quite there yet. Loki takes a drag on his cigarette, blowing out the smoke into the air around them. Thor doesn't mind it as much as he used to anymore. It took some getting used to. Loki even quite for a while, though that didn't last too long.

"I heard a rumor about you from one of the dancers," Loki expels.

Thor raises an eyebrow. _"Is that so?"_

"Yes."

_"Well? Would you tell me this rumor?"_

"They said that the last place you worked at you got so drunk that you threatened to kill everyone with a hammer. Is that true?"

The tiniest sound that escapes Thor's mouth resembles a weak chuckle, and he treats it as such. He shakes his head with a shy smile. _"There's some truth to this rumor, though it's not the full story."_

Curious, Loki leans over in his seat. "Go on then."

_"Would be better if you just...saw it."_

"Think about it, and I will. Everything, from the beginning to end."

With some encouragement, Thor attempts to recall the situation involving his drunken exploits. At first, it shows up in scattered shards like glass, small fragments that need to be put together piece by piece. Suddenly, he feels Loki's power wash over his head, helping him repair the fragmented shards. Then, sure as ever, Thor's head slumps back, and he's thrust back into that fateful night two years ago. Everything is the same, except for an abrupt addition.

Loki, wearing the same clothes as he wears now, watches the events unfold before him, realizing that no one can see him anyway.

_Normal night, nothing too worrying going on. Work the bar, smile, work the bar, call security if someone causes trouble, drink a little, no one cares, work the bar--_

_Yelling. Someone's yelling. A woman. Thor can hear her over the loud music. It's nothing, right? Nothing, just like usual. Is it real? No? Yes? She's yelling. YES! It's real. Thor looks around, quite drunk himself. The woman is over there, in VIP section. They're groping her. She doesn't like it. They can't touch._

_It's security and customers alike. They're harassing her. Not good. The alcohol in his system makes him move. How much has he had? Too much. It's unnoticeable. He takes the hammer hidden behind the bar. "In case of emergencies." It's definitely an emergency. No one is helping her. They're horrible people._

_"What are you doing?" they ask._

_"It's that stupid fucking bartender."_

_"He's got a few loose screws if ya know what I mean. Bastard can't talk. What's wrong, dummy? Wanna piece of her, too? She's in no position to refuse, ain't that right, bitch?"_

_Snapped._

_Screams of pain now, not terror. Thor sees red, swinging madly, hitting those that deserve it, breaking bones, combating the evil that seek to harm a woman just doing her job. They come one at a time, armed with batons. They all tumble down, broken, beaten, afraid. The club is evacuated now. Police are here--Thor fights them. He's in a cell, sober._

_Nothing now. Darkness._

Thor's transported back to the present with a slight headache. He looks to Loki, and it seems as though he's suffering from one as well. He thinks he's hiding it well, but it's as obvious as skin is porcelain white. Thor reaches out to touch for comfort, but Loki gently slaps his hand away. He's got a few barriers put up around himself. Thor is lucky when one comes down for him to slip through momentarily.

"Why haven't you told me?" Loki asks, concern in his voice. Weird.

Thor shrugs, slumping into his seat. _"I didn't think it was important enough to discuss."_

"If something like that were to happen to me--"

Thor doesn't give Loki the time to finish that sentence, looking over to him sharply. He shakes his head in the negative, and that's all that needs to be said. Thor would rather not imagine Loki being in the same position as the girl from that night.

He remembers her face and her voice, as well as her name. Jane Foster. She stayed with Thor for a few days after her ordeal, then moved back to her hometown to be with her family, but not before kissing him on the cheek as gratitude for all that he did for her. To this day, he checks in on her, though she understands that he cannot utter a single word. He hasn't talked to her lately. How is she doing? Good, he hopes--

"Your thoughts are becoming crowded by * _her_ *, Thor..." Loki mumbles in a low tone, taking a pull on the wine bottle before putting out his cigarette.

Thor blinks. Then:

_"Are you being a jealous Witch?"_

The moment those thoughts escape his mind and Loki hears them, Thor ends up clenching his jaw. Loki nearly tears his own head off with the way his head whips around to glare daggers into Thor's eyes. It feels like he's incinerating his life force directly with a glance. Is that something he can do if he tried? Thor doesn't know, and perhaps knowing wouldn't make much of a difference here.

He shouldn't have called him that. Like doesn't like that word unironically. He isn't a Witch--hell, he doesn't know _what_ he is. Just a man with power he can't understand.

Loki just glares before snickering. Not because he's amused, but because he is ever so slightly annoyed. Loki drinks the last of the wine, setting it down afterwards. Thor has seen this look on his face before, and he knows there are ways to counter this move. He gets up from his seat to kneel in front of Loki, rubbing his hand gingerly whilst Loki just continues to glare at him...but with less intensity than before. They stay like this for some time, locked in silent combat with one another with Thor's entire thoughts on display.

_No need for jealousy._

_You're amazing._

_Talented._

_Awesome dancer._

_A good man._

_Giver of warm hugs._

At the last thought, Loki manages to huff out a small laugh, genuine this time. At that, Thor grins bright, having succeeded in his mission. He rests his head in Loki's lap, eventually feeling his bony fingers sliding through what hair he has left.

"I wish you didn't cut your hair..." Loki mutters. "I liked it longer."

_"It kept getting in the way,"_ responds Thor.

"That's what hair ties are for, my dear."

_"I never had to use one."_

"Bullshit."

_"Honestly._

"Okay... I'll take your word for it then. There's something I want to show you. I'm not sure how you'll react."

Thor looks into Loki's eyes with concern, frowning. What? What could he possibly want to show him at a time like this when all is right within the world? Regardless of the infinite amount of questions within Thor's mind, his gaze shifts to the wine bottle when Loki starts to point at it

At first glance, nothing of significance happens. He honestly had no idea what he was expecting. More wine? Fireworks? It's not until it starts to shake violently that Thor's flight or fight response triggers, forcing him to stand on his own two feet. The wine bottle quakes on the small table it's seated, rattling madly. And yet, when Thor takes a moment to look at Loki, he notices two things.

The first: Loki is bleeding from his nose; a steady stream of blood flows out of his left nostril.

The second: His forehead is slick with sweat, and Thor can see the veins _pulsating_ strangely.

Straight away, Thor comes to the grand conclusion that Loki is causing the bottle to throb erratically. At the last possible second, the wine bottle shatters into a million tiny pieces, all scattering across the balcony and possibly the streets below. Thor flinches where he stands, but it doesn't last long as he checks on Loki who looks clammy and tired. He sniffles, feebly wiping the blood from his nose with his sweatshirt.

"I can..." Loki tries, chuckling. "I can do _that_ now. Isn't that something? Isn't that great?"

Thor won't have any of it. He processed what he saw, and has determined this new power--or whatever the fuck this is--is dangerous. And it might not just be dangerous for Loki to have, it could be dangerous for anyone caught in the vicinity. Loki's mind tricks were one thing, but this new development is another thing entirely.

If anyone else ever found out about this, they'd do horrible things. Experimentation...or worse: use him for their own personal gain. And that's not going to happen as long as Thor is around.

With great strength, Thor scoops Loki into his arms bridal style, taking him into the apartment. Of course, Loki protests, wriggling around in Thor's grasp.

"I'm not a damsel you can just carry around, Thor! Let me go! Leave me be! What's wrong with you--!?"

Loki is quieted when Thor sits him on the toilet, pointing his finger in his face. The serious expression he displays makes Loki's mouth close immediately, clearly frightened by this side of Thor. Though it pains him to see Loki like this, it's for his own good. Thor gets up to run a rag over the faucet in the bathroom, looking at Loki with no regretful eyes.

He returns to him without a word, as usual, wiping him down with the cool, wet rag. Thor takes care of the excess blood coming from Loki's nose. He doesn't realize his hands are shaking until Loki touches his face with both hands, sorrow written all over that beautiful mug of his. Thor leans into his touch, fighting the urge to shed a tear. He's afraid now.

Not of Loki. But what this power could mean if unleashed in the wrong way.

"I'll never use it again," Loki says after reading his mind. "I'll never again call on this _thing._ I promise. You have my word."

Thor touches Loki's hand, nodding profusely. It's not a surprise when Loki leans forward to kiss his lips in a reassuring manner. They've been down this road many times, conversing as friends and kissing as lovers do...but doing nothing else. As Thor has mused before, their relationship has always been complicated, but he'd rather have this with Loki than nothing at all. He has no idea how he'd survive now without him.

The kiss deepens the longer they embrace, forcing Thor to restrain himself. He pulls away, breaking it off by turning his head towards the sink. Loki's fingers graze his neck, causing him to look back at him.

"Why?"

_"I'm afraid of what I'll do to you if we continue,"_ Thor confesses, cheeks burning bright red. _"I'm not sure I'm ready for anything else yet."_

"And here I believed I played hard to get well," Loki chortles. "Have it your way then."

Thor smiles, going back to his work of cleaning Loki's face. When all is said and done, the two retire to Thor's bed where they just stare each other in the eyes; Thor's hand rests on Loki's hip while Loki fiddles with Thor's thick beard.

"It might be time for a shave, yeah?"

Thor turns up his face in thought hilariously, earning him a small giggle from Loki. _"I'll think about it."_

"Think about it? Thor, I'm sure no one wants a stray strand of barbarian hair in their drink at one point."

_"But you love when my hair is longer."_

"Yes, your _hair_ hair, not your _facial_ hair, you oaf."

Thor beams, putting his hand on the back of Loki's neck this time. _"Call me an oaf again."_

"Oaf," Loki obliges, smirking.

" _Again."_

"Oaf."

_"One more time."_

"I can do this all day."

_"I know you could."_ It's quiet between them for a moment, and it unwittingly causes Thor to relieve the events that happened on the balcony not too long ago. He shifts closer to Loki until their breaths mingle. Thor licks his lips, curious. _"How did find out you could do that other thing?"_

Loki isn't put off by the question. Just by the look of his face, it seems as though he expected it. He sighs through his nose. "I was dancing for one of the paying members of Infinity in a private room a weeks ago, nothing too scandalous."

Thor's blood begins to boil when he imagines Loki grinding in the lap of a rich stranger, tantalizing him with that lusty gaze and sensual movements. Nonetheless, lets Loki resume his story.

"The man was very sweet, and tipped me nicely. Anthony was his name I believe. After him, there came another man. I never seen him before in my life, but he also paid well, so I didn't question it. But then..."

_"Then...?"_

"He started to get rough with me; pulling my hair, digging his fingers into my flesh, leaving marks on my body--"

_"Loki--"_

"I'm alright now, Thor, but back then I was scared. Then my fear turned into anger...then my anger turned into something entirely different, something _wrong._ I...I cracked. I yelled at him, and he somehow had a mild heart attack in front of me. I didn't think I had anything to do with it at first, but I felt it. When I went home, I tried again, tapping into that anger to see if I could make something happen. That's when I broke my television."

Thor's mouth hangs ajar. _"You told me it spontaneously combusted due to horrible wiring."_

Loki shrugs. "The wires were fine. I just don't understand. If I can invade minds and make things explode with a sustained thought, what else could I possibly do? If I so desired, could I snapbthis miserable earth in two like a cookie?"

_"That's not something I want to think about."_

"You're afraid of me...aren't you?" Loki curls in on himself, looking away from Thor. "You think I'm some kind of freak. A monster."

Loki's words pierce through Thor's thick muscles, stabbing right into his beating heart. He never thought anything could hurt more than the accident that rendered him mute in the first place, but * _this_ *...this is something new altogether. Reaching out, Thor holds Loki close to his body; the latter being buried in his chest as a result. Thor's face fits into Loki's neck, inhaling his scent again and again, remembering everything _good_ that he is.

Thor shakes his head profusely, fighting to speak, to tell Loki the words he desperately wants to say out loud. They sound like choked grunts of pain, startling even Loki.

"L--L--"

It's all Thor is able to get out before Loki holds onto him as well, tighter. From his sniffles to his shaking form, Thor deduces that he's crying in his arms. They're a mess of emotions right this moment, as they always are when alcohol is involved--sometimes without.

"Don't," Loki sobs. "I understand. I know what you're saying. It's okay. I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't ever think that..."

"Lo--L--"

"Shhhh, it's okay," Loki looks up, wiping away his tears for Thor to see. He tries to smile. "Look, I'm fine, see? I'm okay. We're okay. We're gonna leave this fucking city together soon."

That voice makes Thor stop. It compels him to. How could he deny it? Loki is the one that holds the keys to his heart. Thor is fine with this. It only further proves that Loki is special. Not many people could ever hope to get this close to him.

He wraps himself around Loki tighter than before, giving him nothing but ounces--gallons--of love...even if Loki might not reciprocate. That's okay. As long as they're together it'll be okay. They almost have the means to escape, to finally get away from this city that has been nothing but heartache and sorrow for them both. A one way ticket Anywhere, USA or Whereverthefuck would be very ideal. Just...anywhere but here.

It's not long before they fall asleep together, tangled up in their closeness. Thor wakes up sometime after noon, surprised to discover that Loki is still beside him, sleeping peacefully instead of having slipped off undetected. Thor doesn't disturb him, however, and only resigns to watching his special companion.

Loki's power scares him beyond belief, but he knows that, without a doubt, Loki would never purposefully hurt him. He can control this thing inside of him. Thor will help. He'll guide him.

He'll love him harder than anyone ever has ever loved another.

This way no one gets hurt.

No one will suffer.

**Author's Note:**

> I plan on continuing this as I have plans for it moving forward! Expect Thanos is have a big role in all of this. *evil devil face emoji*


End file.
